Power transmission apparatus



July 25, 1939. E. T. HARMoN E-r AL POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1958 Inve nors, Erneat TIarmon.

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Phililz W@ w Patented July 25, 1939 4UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE l Claims.

The invention hereinafter to be described relates, in general terms, to transmission apparatus, dealing more particularly with a novel yieldable clutch mechanism, through the agency of 5 which the power from any prime mover may be transmitted to the point of delivery of the power.

The mechanism embodies a cylindrical impeller element mounted on an eccentric and deriving eccentrical movements therefrom. Within the impeller cylinder is disposed a turnstile element having roll-equipped arms which contact the inner peripheral face of the impeller cylinder.

The turnstile member is fixed on a rotatable shaft f which is not directly connected to the prime mover. l

As in the case with any body mounted on an eccentric, such for instance as the structure employed to operate an engine valve, this impeller element does not revolve on its own axis, but its axis or axial point describes a circle around the axis of the eccentric shaft.

When rotating, the eccentric causes the impeller cylinder to move into an infinite number of different positions around the axis of the eccentric shaft, the impeller cylinder, representing a circle moving eccentrically, continuously and obliquely cutting a circle drawn concentricvwith the eccentric shaft.

There is therefore developed a condition which might perhaps best be described as a crescentshape Wedge which throughout the entire cycle of movement of the impeller acts .O11 the turnstile roll to push it ahead.

To provide against slippage .caused by overloads on the power delivery line, the rolls are' given more or less in and out vmovement in theiISU-D- porting structure, the reason for this being more .fully set forth as the description proceeds.

The turnstile element may be constructed with one arm and roll, but we prefer two. placing them diametrically opposite. Furthermore, to obtain better balance of the parts vwhen rotating at high :speeds we propose to mount two or more sets of these roll-equipped arms, arranging them cir- 4 cumferentially atregular spaced intervals.

An object of our present invention is to supply an intermediary, yieldablemechanism between the source of power-the primemover, and the ture by overloading. If overworkedffor but a very short period of time this diiiiculty can occur when point at which the power is delivered-for use. It is, primarily, an apparatus to overcome the pos-r` the motor has direct and unyielding connection withthe main line from which power is taken.

In some instances a clutch is interposed, but the same result obtains with this type of connection.r But with our present invention no harm 5 can result in placing an overload on the delivery line, as in case the motor is unable to drive the turnstile, the Shanks of the roll-carrying yokes will alternatelyrecede and extend in and out of their housings while the impeller will 1 continue to go through its movements.

We vmay elect to install a governor on our apparatus to regulate the eccentricity of the eccentric, to make it of either greater or less throw.

It is desirable to have maximum throw of the eccentric in starting the apparatus and on very slow speeds, but when onceunder way and approaching fullor maximum speed, .less throw of the eccentric suffices to keep the turnstile operating.. Y

For a clearer understanding of the import of ourinyention reference should be had to the description found in the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing Ain which like reference characters are employed to identify like parts in all the different Views thereof, and 4in which* f Fig, 1 is a sectional elevation of ourapparatus;

,E'ig, 2 is anend View thereof;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatical views showing Various actions taking place while the impeller is engaging the turnstile rolls, and

Fig, '7 Arepresents the apparatus in its simplest form. l

4lteferring vto the drawing, particularly to Fig. 1 in which we show a duplex arrangement of our impellers and turnstiles, each being. similar to the other exceptas will hereinafter beppointed out.

A shaft I is journalledin bearings, 2,2. Looselymounted on the shaft l is apulley 3 on each 40 side of which andintegral therewith is an eccentricA. It willy be observed that the larg-e throw of the eccentric is diametrically opposite in the two .,eccentrics, theleft hand one being up and 45.

element 8 havingg'prferablyftwd spokes 8a ex- 5d yfull line position shown in Fig. 3, and the supertending radially from the hub portion of the turnstile, and having in each a bore 8b.

Operating in the bore 8b is the shank 9a of the roll-carrying yoke member 9 in which is pivotally mounted the roll III. In the bottom of each bore 8b, and thrusting on the end of the shank 9a, is a spring II which normally functions to maintain continuous contact of the roll with the inner face b of the impeller.

Power to drive the apparatus may be delivered through any approved means, as for instance by chain drive, gearing or by belt, R, as shown, operating over the pulley 3. Power taken from the apparatus is also shown by belt operating over pulley I2.

To prevent the impeller revolving on its own axis we provide an outstanding arm I3 projecting from the periphery of the cylindrical portion 5a of the impeller, pivotally connecting the arm with a link I4 the lower end of which has cennection with the floor stand I5.

Fig. 3 is'a diagrammatical view showing the result of a small eccentrical movement of the impeller on the roll, which latter for position-indicating purposes will in this instance be designated as Ia for the upper and Ib` for the lower roll.

Starting with the impeller cylinder and the two oppositely disposed rolls drawn in full lines, and assume that a rotary movement of the eccentric is given the eccentric in the direction of arrow. This will bring the central or axial point of the impeller from point I6 to point I6a, the cylinder itself from the full to the dot and dash line delineation, and the rolls Illa. and lill)` to positions indicated as at IIlc and Illd, respectively.

In this movement of the impeller two forces are acting on the roll Illa, one downwardly as indicated by arrow A, and the other more or less horizontally but in any event obliquely, as' indicated by the arrow B. Now provided the spring Il, acting together with the force acquired by centrifugal action when the apparatus is rotating at considerable speed is suicient to keep the roll in its maximum position,-that is, in its extreme outward position, then the force A is more than counter-balanced by the force B which latter would act to drive or push the roll ahead. The extreme or maximum outward distance of the roll from the axis of the eccentric is represented by the letter J, and the shortest distance by letter K, Fig. 3.

To present the matter somewhat more understandingly reference to Fig. 6 is invited. In this view the outside position of a fragmentary portion of the impeller cylinder corresponds to the imposed outline of the same, in its advanced position cross-hatched to show more clearly the arcuate-wedge-shape effect of the presentment of the impeller surface to the roll.

It is not contended that the roll Illa'. will always and without exception be maintained in its extreme outward position. It will depend largely on the load the apparatus is lugging, so to speak, but under calculated conditions, and barring occasional extreme overloads, the roll will require but a comparatively small portion of the wedge capacity for keeping the roll advancing. Should the unexpected happen, however, there would be no harm done, as even though the turnstile should stop, the impeller is capable of continuing its eccentrical movements; and when the overload is released the impeller will pick up the roll which is disposed at or near the larger radius of the eccentric movement.

It might easily be possible to operate our ap` paratus using but one set of the parts shown in Fig. 1, although the matter of counter-weighting the parts to procure proper balance is somewhat more of a problem than would at first appear, due to the fact that the spokes in which operate the rolls Ia and Ib (as designated in Fig. 3) may alternately be positioned at the long and short radial positions. For this reason we prefer to construct the device with two, or more, sets of the parts, as shown in Fig. 1, arranging them side by side.

It is obvious that the roll IOai (Fig. 3) carries the load, as this one is in advance of the wedge effect, whereas the roll Ib is in arrear of this action. However, the roll Ib is essential, not alone for assisting in balancing the spoked structure, but in case of overload placed on the shaft I it may occupy the position originally occupied by roll IIIa., because when extreme overloads are placed on the apparatus there develops a slipping of the carrying roll on the surface of the cylinder, and the two rolls under these conditions may become reversed in position.

Fig. 4 illustrates, diagrammatically, the positions of the rolls and the impeller cylinder when the eccentric has made a quarter turn, and Fig. 5 shows how the impeller cylinder circle cuts or intersects a circle of the same diameter but concentric with the axis of the shaft I. While this cutting action is continuous, or in other words an iniinite number of intersections of the circles are made in one turning cycle of the eccentric, four only are shown in the drawing, the concentric circle being shown in heavy and the eccentric cirles in light lines, the diametrically central points of the four positions of the eccentric being shown at 40, 5I), 60 and 10, respectively.

The fundamental principle upon which our invention is based would be carried out in the main if construction shown in Fig. 7 was employed.

This disclosure contemplates but one roll I0, but to procure proper balance a counter-weight 30 is placed opposite this roll. In this design, in case of overload, the cylindrical member or irnpeller would require to make one complete cycle of movements before the wedge effect would come into play in its action to force the roll ahead.

What we claim is:

l. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, a roll-equipped body secured on said shaft, an eccentric mounted to rotate independently of, but on an axis coincident with the axis of, said shaft, a cylindrical member, having a head with a bored hub portion, operably mounted on said eccentric, the cylinder portion of said cylindrical member adapted to engage said roll-equipped body, and in its eccentrical movements force said roll-equipped body to revolve around said shaft, means to prevent said cylindrical member revolving on its own diametrically central point, and means to rotate said eccentric.

2. Apparatus ofthe class described comprising an eccentric, a cylindrical member having a head in which is a bore within which operates said eccentric, means to hold said cylindrical member against revolving on its own central point, a revoluble shaft, a two-spoke member xed on said shaft and adapted, normally, to revolve concentrically with the axis of said shaft, the outer ends of said two-spoke member being in continuous contact with the inner peripheral face of said cylindrical member, and means to rotate said eccentric. v

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, a hubI xedly secured to said shaft, a spo-ke extending radially from said hub, a roll pivotally mounted on the end of said spoke, an eccentric, means to rotate said eccentric independently of said shaft, a cylindrical member mounted on, and acquiring eccentrical movements from, said eccentric, the inner peripheral face of said cylindrical member being in continuous contact with said roll, causing, when said eccentric is revolving, an innite number of obliquely-presented impacts to be made on said roll calculated to rotate said spoke hub and said shaft, and means to prevent said cylindrical member revolving on its diametrically central point.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable eccentric, a cylindrical member mounted on said eccentric, a shaft, a hub secured on said shaft, a spoke element extending radially from said hub, a roll yieldingly mounted on said spoke element and having continuous contact with said cylindrical member, holding means to prevent rotation of said cylindrical member on its diametrically central point, and means to rotate said eccentric to the end that the face of said cylindrical member may be constantly and obliquely presented to said roll, to force it ahead, throughout its entire cycle of eccentrical movements, except when resistance to this forward movement overcomes the power of frictional engagement of the roll with the face of the cylinder through the force of the yielding means and the power of centrifugal action tending to hold them together, in which instance said roll will yield and slip on the face of said cylinder until the resistance to rotation of the roll-equipped member is sufficiently released to permit the parts to function as before.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination with a prime mover, an eccentric adapted to be driven by said prime mover, a cylindrical member mounted on and acquiring eccentrical movement from said eccentric, a shaft, an impelled, rotatable member fixed on said shaft and deriving its power of rotation from continuously and obliquely presented thrusts of the inner peripheral face of said cylindrical member thereon, as said cylindrical member moves in its eccentrcal orbit, means to prevent rotation of, said cylindrical member on its'diametrical center, and means associated with said impelled member which permits it to ,radially yield and slip in its contact with said cylindrical member when eXtreme resistance to the rotation of the impelled member occurs.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable shaft, bearings in which said shaft is journalled, a pulley mounted on but unsecured to said shaft, an eccentric disposed on one end of said pulley, an impeller cylinder having a head bored for mounting on said eccentric, an

'arm extending from said impeller cylinder, a link one end of which swings from a fixed point and having pivotal connection with said arm to hold said impeller cylinder against rotating on its own diametrically central point, a turnstile member disposed within said impeller cylinder, embodying a hub portion flXedly secured on and to said shaft, and a plurality of spokes, each having a longitudinal bore therein, extending radially from said hub portion, a roll-carrying member for each of said spokes, a shank on said roll-carrying member operable in said bore, a roll pivotally mounted in each of said roll-carrying members, a spring inA each of said bores adapted to thrust on the end of the shank therein and causing continuous and yieldable contact of said roll With the inner peripheral face of said impeller cylinder, a duplicate set of the foregoing elements disposed on the opposite end of said pulley, the eccentric in the last named set being advanced one hundred and eighty degrees from the first named eccentric, and means to rotate said pulley to the end that said impellers in their eccentrical movements may impinge on said rolls and cause said turnstiles to be rotated.

7. In apparatus of the class described-the combination with an eccentric and a member operatively mounted thereon, of a cylindrical portion on, and extending laterally from, said member, a rotatable shaft, a body mounted on and secured to said shaft, its outer end portion having continuous and radially yieldable engagement with said cylinder, and means to rotate said eccentric.

ERNEST T. HARMON. PHILIP W. DOHERTY. 

